It shall be lawful for, and the right is hereby conferred upon, cities of the second class of this Commonwealth to purchase, acquire, enter upon, take, use, and appropriate private property for the purpose of acquiring, making, enlarging, extending, maintaining, and operating, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming-pools and indoor recreation centers, within or without the corporate limits of such cities, whenever the councils thereof shall, by ordinance or resolution, determine thereon, and provided that, where such property is outside of the city, it may be annexed thereto by ordinance of such city.
53 P.S. § 23141